Utrecht, Netherlands: Nour Eddine Amrani

In a special session of the Utrecht City Council, political parties represented on the council demanded the release of the investigation results into the assault on a veiled woman who was kicked in public by a police officer. The demand was submitted to the city's mayor, Sharon Deneina, who understood the message but could not fulfill her promise, while maintaining her position that the investigation was being conducted objectively and impartially.

The assault by the police officer, in which he kicked the veiled woman, has raised concerns among thousands of citizens, particularly Muslim immigrants. A video circulated showing the moment of the kick and the attempted arrest, which was interpreted as a blatant and unjustified assault. The incident sparked protests and unrest, fueled by young men reportedly of North African origin who had been denied residency by the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND), which had rejected their asylum applications. However, media sources confirmed that the young men expressing their anger over the incident had no connection to asylum and that their protest stemmed from their anger and resentment at what they perceived as racial discrimination and the prevalence of hatred and bigotry within the police force, which they alleged was known for its hostility towards Islam in Dutch society. To contain the unrest, security forces deployed police to restore order in Utrecht, a city with a diverse Muslim population. During the weekly question session, the parties 1Bij, Denk, and In Utrecht demanded that Mayor Sharon Dijksma disclose the details of the investigation, deeming the police's handling of the incident highly questionable. They called for the appointment of independent bodies to ensure an independent investigation and guarantee results beyond reproach. Mayor Dijksma explained that the investigation is being conducted by the police themselves, but the committee carrying it out is independent and includes a member from outside the police force. She noted that there might also be complaints filed against the officer. "This automatically means that the public prosecutor's office will also look into the matter," the mayor said. "So I truly believe that independence is guaranteed." The officer and his family have been moved to a safe location for his health and safety, especially since he had received threats. This move was prompted by the dissemination of personal information about him, his family, and his address in the city on social media by unknown individuals. The Liberal Party (VVD) condemned these unacceptable threats and called on the municipality to fulfill its responsibility to protect police officers. Mahmut Sengur (DENK) expressed his stance on the incident, stating, "I think we can all agree that the consequences faced by police officers are simply unacceptable." Mayor Dijksma concurred. She agreed, saying, "It's clear from contacting the police that the impact is very significant on the officers involved and this officer's team as well."

The police union defended the officer, especially after information about him was published: "If you threaten one of us, we will find you and arrest you. Publishing personal information is unacceptable." Regarding the call for a public investigation, the mayor clarified that it would not be under her authority, but rather that of the police command. She stated, "The police will investigate this matter with greater priority and speed than usual, and I will keep you updated as much as I can within the bounds of the law." She reiterated that the police command is fully aware of the importance of the investigation, implying that they would be surprised if the police did not make the investigation public.